Everyone has an opinion, but some are informed while others are not. And it’s bad faith to live our life based on someone else’s beliefs rather than our own. A mark of maturity is discerning if the convictions we hold in life are our own, or simply what we’ve been told by others.
Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. And Jesus answered with a question – wanting to know if Pilate was speaking for himself or from what others had told him. It seems this distinction matters. And after Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, she went back to tell the people of her village, and many believe because of her account. But then they believed not just because of the woman, but because they heard Jesus for themselves. Again it seems this distinction matters, and for us to consider as well.
Daily we’re exposed to opinions about the world, our place in it, and how to interpret the events of our times. And it’s possible the positions offered to us are factually correct. Pilate was not wrong to consider Jesus the king of the Jews, and the villagers were not wrong to believe in Jesus because of what the woman had said. And yet it was important to distinguish their own thoughts and beliefs from others, however true they might have been otherwise. We must do the same.
At its best, it’s immature to adopt positions without doing our due diligence. Like those of Berea (Acts 17:11), we should evaluate everything presented to us to ensure it aligns with Truth, regardless of the messenger or popular opinion. But we’re also more vulnerable to evil taking advantage of us when we don’t discern. Evil masquerading as light soon distorts our hearts to produce the fruit of fear, hatred, and division rather than love, joy, and peace.
In the end, make up your own mind and let the convictions of your heart be your own and not merely what others have said. This empowers you to truly live by faith.
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